This information was emailed to all DKU ECE MEng students on February 1 from Xin Li, Director of the ECE MEng Program:

Starting from February 24, we will begin online instruction for all ECE courses:

  • ECE 650K: Systems Programming and Engineering
  • ECE 651K: Software Engineering
  • ECE 580K: Introduction to Machine Learning
  • ECE 586K: Vector Space Methods with Applications
  • ECE 590K: Software Reliability

In the next few days, Tiffany Zhang will send you the new class schedules, as well as the office hours, for each course. Since several instructors are now outside China and they cannot return China in the near future, the class schedules and office hours will be revised in order to accommodate the time difference.

We will provide the required technical support, including both hardware and software, to guarantee excellent learning experience for every student.

  • The IT department at DKU/Duke is now investigating different software options and will announce the recommended software for online instruction in a few days.
  • We will further make sure that each student will have a tablet with writable screen/pen so that you can closely interact with the instructors and the instructional specialist during online lectures and/or office hours.
  • You can also write your homework solutions on the tablet, and then upload your solutions (PDF) to Sakai.

With all available technology innovations, we expect that online instruction will offer highly enjoyable experience for each of you!

As the online classes will start on February 24, we will take the following plan to make up the missing lectures from February 3 to February 21 (except for ECE 590K):

  • Spring Recess on March 9-13 will be cancelled and online courses will be offered during this week.
  • Graduate Reading Days will be delayed. Online courses will be offered on April 27-30. Graduate Reading Days will be re-scheduled to May 1-4. Final exams (if applicable) will be scheduled on May 5.
  • Online courses will be further scheduled on a few weekends to make up other missing classes. The detailed schedules will be announced later.

As ECE 590K is a 7-week course co-listed with the undergraduate program, it will follow the revised schedule of Session 3 which will be announced by DKU soon.

While online instruction is quite different from in-person classroom education, it is the best option to move forward in the following months due to several reasons:

  • All of you can stay in a safe place to continue your classes, instead of travelling domestically or internationally with possible exposure to the coronavirus.
  • All of you have confirmed that you have access to high-speed internet.
  • Online instruction may offer a completely different set of learning experience that you would enjoy.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me and/or Tiffany Zhang and we will get back to you asap. We are always here to help you!